Articles Tagged with shoplifting Bergen county

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When most people think of shoplifting, they picture kids. However, retail theft charges are regularly brought against people of all ages, races, and income levels. Shoplifting can result in serious criminal charges.

Depending on the value of the merchandise, you may be facing a misdemeanor or a felony charge.

At the New Jersey criminal defense firm of Aretsky & Aretsky (also specialized divorce attorney Bergen County) , we have more than fifteen years of experience successfully representing people charged with shoplifting in New Jersey municipal courts. Contact us to learn how we can help reduce damage to your reputation and your record.


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The penalties for shoplifting and theft can be serious. At our firm of criminal defense, employment, and divorce attorneys in Bergen County strive to get the charges reduced to Borough Ordinance violations, or to have them dismissed completely. If a conviction can not be avoided, we request community service, probation, or treatment in lieu of jail time

Theft Charges Value of Merchandise Potential Jail Term Potential Fine
Disorderly Persons Offense retail value of under $200 up to 6 months up to $1,000
4th Degree retail value of between $200 and $500 up to 18 months up to $10,000
3rd Degree retail value of over $500 but less than $75,000 3 to 5 years in prison up to $15,000
2nd Degree retail value of $75,000 or more 5 to 10 years in prison up to $150,000

walmartIn this series, our criminal defense, employment, and family lawyers in Bergen County discuss shoplifting charges, and probable cause. If you think that you were arrested for shoplifting without probable cause, you should speak with an attorney. (Even if you don’t think so, shoplifting charges can be serious, and something you should discuss with an attorney. Whether or not probable cause exists can be somewhat complicated and will require good representation. See this case regarding shoplifting and probable cause from last year. The supreme court ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiff, who had been wrongfully charged with shoplifting at a Walmart store in New Jersey, and initially lost the lawsuit he brought against the store. The court first ruled that the store did have probable cause, but that ruling was reversed at the supreme court level. If you are facing shoplifting charges, contact Aretsky and Aretsky, with over 15 years experience in shoplifting cases.

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We are attorneys based in Bergen County, NJ representing clients in divorce, criminal, and employment cases. Shoplifting is one of the most common crimes people are charged with.Before someone can be detained, and shoplifting charges can be brought against them, a merchant has to show there is probable cause to detain or charge the individual. There are steps that a merchant’s personnel need to follow to show probable cause. If they do not follow these steps, they maybe subject to a false arrest tort claim. We will describe these steps in detail in our next blog post. If you believe you were wrongfully detained or charged for shoplifting, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.

At our firm Aretsky & Aretsky, we have more than fifteen years of experience defending people charged with shoplifting and other crimes in New Jersey municipal courts. Contact us to learn more about how we can minimize the damage to your reputation and your record.

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In addition to providing services as family lawyers in Bergen County, every year our firm represents people charged with crimes such as shoplifting. When our clients are charged with shoplifting, they are often feeling embarrassed, and ashamed of how this may reflect on them. They are concerned that the charges will negatively affect their reputation in the community and their employment opportunities. We handle our clients’ cases discreetly and professionally. If you require an especially high degree of privacy with regard to your case, let us know. We will treat your case with sensitivity and consideration. If need be, we can accommodate your needs by not calling you at your home or your place of employment.If you are facing potential shoplifting charges, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you talk with a lawyer knowledgeable about criminal defense, the more opportunity you will have to respond to charges appropriately and protect yourself from conviction, financial penalties, and possibly jail time. 

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